


He's Not Here

by mr_reblogbutton



Category: Wolf 359 (Radio)
Genre: F/M, I LOVE THIS SONG - Freeform, I have wanted to write this for so long, Song Lyrics, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 20:18:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5104424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mr_reblogbutton/pseuds/mr_reblogbutton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She had made it home. But something was missing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He's Not Here

“Commander.”

 

Minkowski perked up at the crackling voice of her Comms Officer coming through her head set.

“Eiffel? What’s going on? Please don’t tell me you got--”

 

“Commander, I can’t go.” The sound slipped into white noise for a few seconds and then returned.

 

“Go? Eiffel? Where are you? What’s wrong?”

  
She heard the officer’s voice crack as he spoke cautiously, “You and Lovelace are getting on that shuttle right? Well I’m not. I can’t go back. I’m staying here with Hera.”

 

Minkowski knew that there had been circumstances to Eiffel being put on the station but it never occurred to her that he wouldn’t be able to face returning to earth. Whatever happened to him had him scared so bad that he’d rather die in space than face the problems that awaited him.

 

“Eiffel, you can’t stay. We need you.”

 

“No you don’t.” The transmission was getting weaker and static punctuated each word. It sounded almost as though he was-

“Eiffel are you outside the station?”

 

She heard coughing. The coughing wouldn’t stop. Suddenly, there was a flare of light and the world was white. She was coughing too.

She kicked out and suddenly she was awake.

Why was she awake? She could have saved him.

She could have helped him.

 

But she didn’t.

 

Communications Officer Douglas Fernand Eiffel was dead.

 

Her husband was gripping her as she cried and repeated the name over of her lost comrade over and over.

“It’s okay...You’re here...You’re fine...I’ve got you…” He had said the words so many times lately they were almost like a mantra, her dark sort of motto. The shaking subsided and Minkowski felt him adjust his grip and curl around her. His tired voice began to sing a slow tune from one of her favourite musicals; the man knew her too well.

 

_'He's not here..._

_He's not here._

_Love, I know you know.'_

And God, she knew. She had lamented, and cried, and pleaded. She had kicked and screamed, and caused an uproar. She hadn’t slept a good night’s sleep since she got back.

 

_'Do you feel_

_He's still real?_

_Love, it's just not so.'_

 

Doug was real. He was still there around her always. Every time she turned on a TV and saw some classic, she heard his joking voice. Every smile was his. Every cigarette thrown carelessly to the cement was his. Eiffel was in everything.

 

_'Why is it you still believe?_

_Do you dream or do you grieve?_

_You've got to let him go.'_

 

She couldn’t let go. She had to save him.

 

_'He's been dead_

_Sixteen years...'_

 

Sixteen years and fifty-seven days to be exact.

 

_'No my love, he's not here.'_

  
In her husband’s voice he was there.


End file.
